TURKEY SEASON
I saw my first turkey on November 3. The big kind; the inflatable kind. And now I’m finding them all throughout Baltimore. These turkeys seemed to pop up shortly after the trick-or-treaters finished for the night.
I have nothing against inflatable turkeys or Thanksgiving decorations. They keep the runs interesting, and scenic. But they offer a reminder that it’s just going to keep getting colder and darker.
I met that one towering turkey on Northern Parkway, near Harford Road. Here are some others from Keswick, Homeland, and Pen Lucy.
THE SIGNS OF HARFORD ‘RODE‘ – November 8
I’ve always had a love affair for the signs along Harford Road, especially above Northern Parkway. Since I came to this city two decades ago, Baltimore has lost too much of its quirky identity but you can still find marshmallow donuts, smearcase, and perms on Harford Road. It’s still Baltimore.
Since I had the week off, I decided to take on that section of Harford Road because I had the time. It’s a good 25 minute drive from my house just to get there. And once you’re there, you’ll find a steady incline up to the county line and many back-and-forth streets that will get you back down. Many of them.
AUTUMN ON SHADY LANE – November 14
I took me five months of running every street to finally get me to Roland Park. It’s not that I didn’t want to go to Roland Park, I was just enjoying getting to know every nook and cranny of West, North, Southwest, Northeast Baltimore.
If there was a time to go to Roland Park it was today. The colors were brilliant and at their peak. That was especially the case on Shady Lane. I really hoped Shady Lane had a street sign but, like many roads in Roland Park, street names exist on a road map, not in person.
Roland Park is like nowhere else in Baltimore. But I got a chuckle thinking of everybody who told me that running in Baltimore is dangerous!
I felt today that Roland Park could count as one of the most dangerous places in the city to run. The active streets are far too narrow and the sidewalks are buried in leaves. You fight for space and safety in the streets. Luckily today’s colors helped with that stress.
BEATING THE CLOCK – November 15
I tried to move quickly when the rehearsal ended at 4pm. I wanted to avoid running in the dark. But by the time I made it to my ‘neighborhood of the day,’ Graceland Park, the sun was setting quickly.
Graceland Park is this snippet of Baltimore City that might as well be Dundalk. It’s east of I-95, tucked away by the Home Depot and the Travel Plaza.
I have learned that the evening rush hour is the worst time to go for a run (job). That was the case in Graceland Park.
But you do see things differently at twilight. The sky was beautiful and it only complemented the two cemeteries that I stumbled upon. (It’s very hard to run by the 1908 red brick Hebrew Free Burial Society building without stopping and taking notice.)
And Graceland Park has those blue lights. What do they do? Why are they there? Why can’t any local police or security officer explain them? They certainly feed into the conspiracy theory world.
I’m going to do my best to beat the clock a little better next time. There will be days when there will be no choice. And it really surprises me that it took me five months into this project to finally lose the battle for sunlight.
CONNECTING WITH ORANGEVILLE – November 19
I never knew that there was a place named Orangeville, tucked away behind the Goetze caramel creme plant on East Monument Street.
The community looks unlike many parts of Baltimore. Orangeville consists mostly of single family homes, in various states and conditions, and gives off a country-like feel. But this modest neighborhood is also completely surrounded, or hidden, by industry on all four sides.
Since it’s a small community, a run through Orangeville takes little time. But whether you are a runner or a driver, the trick is getting in and out of the neighborhood.
There are a few small entry ways into Orangeville, off of Monument, but there is only one other feasible option. It involves driving under an extraordinarily narrow CSX rail bridge which takes you to Sinclair Lane. The other road, leading from East Baltimore, is blocked off by a guard rail. You can run into the community from East Biddle Street, you just can’t do it by car.
THE HOUSE OF FORMSTONE – November 22.
I always had a fascination with FormStone, the hand-sculptured faux-stone on thousands of Baltimore homes. Every design is unique, different and distinctively Baltimore. And I have to admit, those colors and designs add an entertaining dimension to inner-city Baltimore runs (jogs).
There is a discrepancy of dates regarding the company’s founding and closure but 1937 and 1963 are often accepted. And I was especially excited to learn that the company headquarters building still exists, tucked away on S. Franklintown Road in far West Baltimore.
There is no historical marker at the site. The property now houses an auto salvage yard guarded by a skeptical groundskeeper. But I learned that if you go off on some type of historical lecture, that person can appreciate your words and allow for a quick photo. A quick one.
I am also aware how FormStone facades make the most of a downtrodden block. FormStone is carved over the brick and doesn’t fade or appear dirty. In other cities, vacant brick row homes look beaten, weak, and dirty. In Baltimore, they can glisten. Especially near the former FormStone office.
I wonder if the clean appearance of Formstone is deceiving? It is a facade and that facade often covers a cry for help.
Love it or hate it, I will always appreciate and respect FormStone, and its handful of past competitors and imitators. It’s a part of this city’s identity and that’s what makes a run through inner-city Baltimore extra special.
BALTIMORE’S BIG THREE – November 27.
The power of America’s once-dominant auto industry is all reflected in Baltimore’s street names. Well, kind of. I did doctor one of them. I’m not going to lie.
I live for street signs whenever I run. Basically, they simply tell me where I am! I don’t run (jog) with any fancy navigational device. I just follow the images of a road map that I took on my iPhone 11. I do check in with the phone’s “Maps” app at times. It helps me gauge distances and correct my road map’s flaws.
I loved coming across Cadillac Avenue and I was almost giddy when I found it right next to Chrysler Avenue. Sometimes it’s the little things that bring such joy during this project.
The Cadillac and Chrysler names scream American ingenuity and the homes located on them shout post-war optimism. The homes are still solid, like much of the community. Just like the post-war American car.
And as far as Ford Lane, yes, I doctored the image. I just wanted to make it a trifecta. But I’m not totally wrong when I call it Ford Lane. It’s been called Ford Lane, Ford’s Lane, and Fords Lane ever since Charles Ford sold off his parcel of land in the early 20th century.
Today it’s Fords Lane. No apostrophe. Just like Fells Point. With apologies to Charles Ford and William Fell.
Michael Runs Baltimore 